UCSB Drops Four Straight, Losing 4-2 to Cal Poly

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. -
UC Santa Barbara senior third baseman David Figoni extended his hitting streak to 13 games as Cal Poly defeated the UCSB baseball team 4-2 in a non-conference game on Wednesday night. Senior Loren Fraser, making his first start for Santa Barbara this season, pitched four strong innings allowing only one earned run off two hits.

With the loss, UCSB fell to 8-10 dropping its fourth game in a row. The Gauchos were swept by Washington last weekend in Seattle. Cal Poly improved to 14-9 with the win.

Cal Poly scored the first run of the game in the second inning as Bret Berglund drew a leadoff walk and came home on Sean Alexander's double to right center field.

The Gauchos evened the score in the bottom of the fifth inning as senior catcher Matt Kalafatis reached on a leadoff free pass and came around to score on senior second baseman Chris Malec's second sacrifice fly of the season.

The Mustangs took the lead back in what appeared to be back-to-back doubles in the sixth inning. After Brandon Roberts led off with double that found the right center field gap, Josh Lansford doubled just inside in the left field line, scoring Roberts easily. After the play had ended, UCSB pitcher Justin Segal appealed that Lansford missed first base on the double and first base umpire Mike Ostini agreed calling Lansford out. The call erased Lansford's hit although the run still counted.

Cal Poly added two insurance runs in the seventh on an RBI single by Alexander and a run-scoring double by Brent Walker.

UCSB got within two by getting a run back in the top of the eighth inning. Senior right fielder Matt Wilkerson struck out swinging but reached first base on a passed by the Cal Poly catcher Kyle Blumenthal. Blumenthal would commit two more passed balls in the inning, tying a Division I record. Wilkerson would eventually come around to score on a Matt Aidem fly ball that was dropped by the Cal Poly center fielder.

Santa Barbara reliever Alex McRobbie pitched well out of the bullpen. Brought in eighth inning with runners on second and third and only one out, McRobbie shutdown the Cal Poly attack. McRobbie got the first batter he faced to groundout to shortstop Chris Valaika and the next batter to pop out to first baseman Bill Rowe to end the inning. In total, McRobbie hurled 1.2 innings and allowed only one hit.

In the fifth inning, Figoni extended his hitting streak to 13 games with a single to right center field off Cal Poly starter Garrett Olson.

Cal Poly reliever Mike Billie recorded his ninth save, which is tops in the nation.

UCSB relief pitcher Justin Segal dropped his first game after giving up the go ahead run in the sixth inning.

The Gauchos return to action this weekend, hosting Loyola Marymount in a three-game set beginning on Friday, March 11 at 2:00 pm at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium. Both games on Saturday and Sunday are slated for a 1:00 pm start time.